February marks the beginning of a process, the culmination of which comes in June when the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada celebrates and recognizes some of the people and fleets that contribute so much to trucking in Canada.

I’m referring of course to the PMTC awards that are given out during our annual conference (June 14-15, Queen’s Landing, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario) to some very deserving recipients.

The awards have been offered by the PMTC for many years (22 for the 3M Canada-sponsored Vehicle Graphics Design awards), and represent the commitment to excellence of PMTC, its members, and the sponsors that help us maintain the programs.

They have grown in stature over the years and the awards ceremonies have become a highlight of our conference.

With all the issues that the industry struggles with every day, we believe it is important to take the time to celebrate some of the things that we do well.

Those of us working in the industry often find it tiresome to listen to the barbs thrown our way from those who just don’t care for trucks or trucking.

At the same time we are often guilty of accepting what we do well without fanfare…just doing it and moving on to the next project.

Well, the PMTC awards program is an opportunity to take a few minutes to reflect on the things that make this a great industry in which to work. So many people work so hard to do things ‘right’ and these awards are an opportunity to celebrate with them.

It’s definitely worth the time and the effort to participate and share the feeling of accomplishment. Here’s a brief overview of the awards and how to participate:

* The Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers, sponsored by Shaw Tracking (formerly Cancom Tracking) inducts up to four professional drivers each year.

The Hall of Fame resides on our Web site at www.pmtc.ca and a visitor can review the outstanding records of the current 25 inductees dating back to 1990.

These are the type of drivers and safety records of which everyone in this industry should be proud.

Nomination forms are available on the PMTC Web site, along with a description of the criteria for entry.

While the award winners are, in the estimation of the judges the best of the best, it is also a mark of distinction for any driver to be nominated, and we encourage the participation of all our members.

* The Private Fleet Safety Awards, sponsored by Zurich, are open to all private fleets in Canada. Awards are available for fleets in three categories based on fleet size.

Past award winners have not only demonstrated excellent on-road safety records, but have in place the programs that deliver those results.

The awards are as much about recognizing the whole package as they are about the on-road performance. It takes a well-managed safety program built on solid principals to achieve long-term results.

Simply completing the application (available at www.pmtc.ca) will provide any fleet manager a clear pathway, or a ‘how-to’ for implementing such a safety program.

The awards program criteria is based on the best practices of private fleets and winning is a significant achievement.

* The Vehicle Graphics Design Awards, sponsored by 3M Canada adds the colour and drama to our annual awards luncheon. This year marks the 22nd year of these awards and the competition attracts entries from across the country.

Awards are presented in a number of categories based on vehicle type, and are shared by the fleet and its graphics house.

The graphics competition is open to all truck fleets, private or for-hire, PMTC member or not, as we encourage the trucking community to put on its finest and strut a little.

Award winners are featured in the PMTC’s own magazine, The Counsellor, and other industry magazines such as Truck News.

So join in and enjoy some free promotion, whether a fleet or a graphics house, we welcome your entries.

Visit www.pmtc.ca and follow the links to submit your entries online, and join us at the June conference when the awards are presented.

We look forward to another opportunity to award those that help make the trucking community a great one.

– The Private Motor Truck Council is the only national association dedicated to the private trucking community. Your comments or questions can be addressed to trucks@pmtc.ca.